Papa's Last Duty.

The sound of the whirlwind was unbelievably high today as Adeola tried to find her way home.

After the death of her father when he was bitten by a poisonous snake in the small acres of land obtained from his father, Adeola has been the one taking care of everything at home while her brother Tunmise sold whatever she got at the market.

Their mother, Maami Oluwafunmilayo, has been in bed with a big wound after she tried farming on her late husband's farm, leaving Adeola to the task since she was the eldest.

With a big basket in her head, Adeola tried making her way home despite the wind, but things became harder when sand blew into her eyes.

"Ye!!! My eyes". Adeola screamed in pain, but no one came to her aid as she was alone in the forest.

Unable to see, Adeola stood up hoping she could find anyone to help her, but, unknown to her, she walked farther inside into the bush, screaming for help, but no one heard her. With each step she took, she walked further and further away from the farmland until her legs brought her towards the forbidden forest, which she crossed into.

Sweat prickles her skin as she walks in, and there seems to be fire around her.

With a louder scream from her lungs, she tried turning back, but her way became blocked.

"No, no." She mumbled out loud. "Mother must be waiting, and Tunmise must be waiting too. Oh, Oduduwa, where's your eyes while pain afflicts me and my family? Death took away my father, my mother had a wound on her leg, and I, lost in the wilderness with my eyes blind and all these took place in my father's farmland. Why? Oduduwa, did you allow all these?" She queried her god with a saddened heart.

But, no answer came to her, and Adeola was left with no voice to call out to anyone as her voice was cracked and her eyes couldn't see where she was.

With no energy left, she tried humming the song her parents taught her and her brother every night the moon rises, wishing the light of the moon would shine on her family and lead her home.

"The light that doesn't hurt but guides oh, moon.
You are our ancestral figure and hold lots of value oh, moon.
You warm us with your presence and love us so much, oh, moon.
You fight an endless battle with the sun to make our worries less, oh moon.
I call upon you to make a way and help guide me and my family right, oh moon.

Adeola continued humming the song while she slept on the ground with her face up. Her clothes were torn, and her eyes closed while she hummed.

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Days passed by swiftly as Adeola stayed in the forest. Her brother Tunmise has always come to the farm to find her and her mother lost in sadness for the loss of her only daughter. And when Tunmise came home, she warned him not to go back to the land.

"That land is cursed. Your father's brother must really want to add it to his land, and seeing how he never came to check on us after your father died proved it right." Maami Oluwafunmilayo spoke one day after Tunmise returned.

"But Mama, there will be no food to eat and no way to survive." Tunmise tried, explaining.

"I know, my son. But I can't lose you too. You are the only one left for me, and we will find a way. I hope your sister finds her way home one day. My heart can still feel her, though I feel she is waning." Maami Oluwafunmilayo said with a sigh.

With tearful eyes, she sang the song of the moon, and so did Tunmise sitting by his mother. They both sang until the moon came out, as did Adeola in a very weak tone.

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Exactly a week after the incident, Adeola felt someone carrying her. The hands of the person were cold yet hot, and she tried wiggling out of the person's hold, all to no avail.

"My Ade, calm down" She heard a familiar voice say.

"The moon brought me here, and my spirit will fight to make sure you are all well in life and you shall see again. It is my last duty to my family." The voice said as Adeola burst into more tears.

Her father's spirit took her home, and her brother was the first person that saw her.

"Maami!!! Adeola is back." Tunmise screamed joyously, and so did their mother.

Adeola explained everything to her mother and brother after settling down, and just then, her eyes opened, and she could see, and her mother's wound vanished.

"Ewwoo, I can see again!" Adeola screamed as her mother screamed in joyfully as her wound left.

With a great, happy sad sigh, Adeola smiled. "Papa fulfilled his last duty".

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This is my response to Hivenaija weekly prompt here.

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